Every visit to the Philippine GameDev Expo, or PGDX, feels like catching up with an old friend who has somehow reinvented themselves since you last met. Somehow, everything feels instantly familiar, yet it never really stays the same. And especially now in its fourth year, PGDX, held on 24-26 July, was proof that it’s bigger than ever – and along with it, the growth of gaming communities and its many peripheral interest groups.
With an expanded B2B area welcoming developers, publishers, technology partners, and studios from across Southeast Asia and beyond, alongside a significantly larger indie showcase that proudly featured 160+ games created by Filipino developers – PGDX this year, more than anything, represented a glimpse of where Philippine game development is headed. And honestly, judging by what we saw, that future is brimming with creativity, confidence, and ambition (not to mention pure unadulterated authenticity coming from the new batch of gaming creatives)
The Gaming In Asia team went in expecting so much, yet we were greeted with so much more. We could have spent the entire weekend alone in the Indie Games area, which was a delightfully overwhelming barrage of wonderfully original concepts: from a mobile game inspired by sipa, one of the Philippines’ most beloved street games, to a rhythm game that literally synchronizes with heartbeats.
Alongside these new voices were the familiar faces that have started to pave the way for Filipino game development on the global stage: like Until Then, which remains one of the most brilliant games I’ve ever played (I named it my Game of the Year when it was released a few years back); and Fallen Tear, now in Early Access on Steam.
What I personally noticed: the ideas are becoming bolder, the execution stronger and more polished, and most importantly, these aren’t games trying to imitate global formulas anymore. The future is bright for Philippine game development as we proudly carve out our own identity.
The business side of PGDX was equally encouraging. (As with previous years, the huge halls of the SMX Convention Center were divided into B2C and B2B areas, but this year with a much larger floor plan dedicated to B2C activities and workshops.)
The ideas are becoming bolder, the execution stronger and more polished, and most importantly, these aren’t games trying to imitate global formulas anymore.
One of the standout sessions came from Collin Agata, SEA Monetization Partner Manager at Google AdMob, who reminded aspiring developers of something the industry sometimes forgets: game development is a business – and a career.
For mobile developers especially (with mobile continuing to dominate global gaming revenues), the discussion centered not simply on making games, but on monetizing creativity and building sustainable businesses. It perfectly reflected what I have always preached about Gaming x Marketing: that great strategic creativity deserves equally strategic business thinking.
With its sheer immensity in both scale and importance, covering PGDX has long become impossible for one person alone – so this year, I brought along the Gaming In Asia crew. Issel and Ethan immersed themselves in the indie developer stories (a rare treat to play the games while the actual creators are there with you, either cheering or jeering you on).
Ronie explored the bustling expo floor and the growing number of endemic gaming brands and their activations (free swag, anyone?). As for me, I spent most of my time doing what I enjoy most: observing, listening, reconnecting with old industry friends, meeting new developers, exchanging experiences with publishers, and celebrating just how international the Philippine gaming ecosystem has become.
PGDX remains one of the loudest battle cries for our gaming community, especially at a time when gaming in the country still faces misunderstanding and occasional calls for censorship. It remains one of the industry’s worst-kept secrets – and thankfully so. Because as I’ve always said, if your brand isn’t here, then where exactly are you looking?
Rey Tiempo is the Founder of Co-Op Play, the Creator of Game On, and Co-Creator of Gaming In Asia.
